Life Science Laboratory

Human Bone Disorder Reproduced in Mice

admin — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 00:59:05 +0000

For the record, scientists have reconstructed a distinctive human bone illness in a laboratory animal model. A global team of scientists at the National Institutes of Health and in Italy made possible to eliminate cells from the bone marrow of patients with a genetic bone disease and transfer the cells into mice then develop the human bone with the identical type of deformities observed in the patients. The method possesses a potential for producing animal models to examine majority of the types of human bone disorders, with the optimism of uncovering the fundamental origins and forming new medications. (more…)

Dry Mouth or Xerostomia

admin — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 23:54:27 +0000

Different parts of a human body suffer from various disease or disorders caused by microorganisms and other factors. The mouth, which is one part of the digestive system, has been regarded as one of the filthiest area of the human body due to hundreds or even thousands of microorganisms both good and bad that inhabit there. One of the disorders in the mouth is what they call as xerostomia. Disorder is a disturbance of function or structure, resulting from a genetic or embryologic failure in development or from exogenous factors such as poison, trauma, or disease. (more…)

Deficiency of Cartilage-Associated Protein in Recessive Lethal Osteogenesis Imperfecta

admin — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 23:50:22 +0000

Typical osteogenesis imperfecta, which is an autosomal dominant disorder connected with osteoporosis and bone frailty, is triggered by alteration in the genes for type I collagen. It has long been suspected that a recessive form of the disorder occurs. In view of the fact that loss of cartilage-associated protein or CRTAP, which is necessary for post-translational prolyl 3-hydroxylation of collagen initiates acute osteoporosis in mice, the researchers explored whether CRTAP deficiency is connected with recessive osteogenesis imperfecta. Three out of ten children with fatal or acute osteogenesis imperfecta, who have no primary collagen deficiency were discovered to have excess post-translational modification of collagen, were uncovered to possess a recessive condition resulting in CRTAP deficiency, signifying that prolyl 3-hydroxylation of type I collagen is vital for bone development. (more…)

NASA Scientists To Drill For New, Exotic Life Near Acidic Spanish River

admin — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 07:49:28 +0000

The article is about the project of scientists coming from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration or NASA that will enable them to look for brand new and unique living organisms or life forms in close proximity to Spanish River, the Rio Tinto.

In the Mars Analog Research and Technology Experiment or MARTE, scientists and engineers from NASA, U.S. universities and the Spanish Centro De Astrobiologia or Center for Astrobiology plan to demonstrate how robot systems might search for life underneath the surface of Mars. Bacteria may possibly settle under the surface, feeding minerals obtained from subsurface rocks, which hold sulfur and iron. Related bacteria are in the enormously acidic Rio Tinto, and these microbes may perhaps perform a part in generating acid in the river. Situated in a place, which legend stated was portion of the mines of King Solomon, the Rio Tinto appears having resemblance to bottomless red wine due to iron being liquefied in the extremely acidic river water.

(more…)

The ‘Twilight Zone’ Holds Key to Ocean’s Role in Climate Change

admin — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 10:05:33 +0000

The article discussed the role of the twilight zone portion of the ocean in the production of carbon dioxide made by the microorganisms that live in it.

There was a foremost global endeavor that included two research voyages to the Pacific Ocean. Such endeavor exposed surprising information regarding the cycle of carbon dioxide from the time of photosynthesis of marine plants at the surface of the ocean reached by the sunlight. The research study discovered a vital connection in the procedure that established the capability of the ocean to suck up and amass the carbon dioxide that is building up in the atmosphere.

(more…)

Seeking the Wisdom of the Ancients: Microbial Mats and Biosignatures

admin — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 09:41:34 +0000

There is a need to study and better comprehend the microorganism populations in order to provide inkling on how the existence has fashioned the Earth a long time ago and assist in determining indications of life on other planets. The chemical and geological characters of Earth were formed by the very existence of living things both micro and macro. Whatever the organisms consume and expel influences the structure and components of the air, minerals and water. The inception of life has commenced subsequent to the creation of the planet that started billion of years ago and the interlocking progression betwixt the Earth and the living systems. In the absence of the impact of life on Earth, such planet will be entirely different from what the people see now. There are biologists who study living organisms outside the atmosphere of the Earth, they are known as astrobiologists. These scientists aimed to comprehend the developments that existed on Earth and the reason of its formation to have a grasp of how life started and progressed and to find means of discovering existence on other planetary systems. In order to make this possible, such group of scientists investigates the microbes, which are known to be as the ancient living organisms of Earth. (more…)

The Theory Of Evolution And Natural Selection By Charles Darwin

admin — Wed, 23 May 2007 03:55:50 +0000

Charles Robert Darwin was a classic English country gentleman. He created a controversy with his rather radical theory of evolution and natural selection. His theory caused him conflicts with the Anglican Church. History however has vindicated Darwin and he is now celebrated as one of the greatest and most innovative scientists who ever lived. Charles Darwin was born in 1809. It is said that he has always been fascinated by all living things from a young age. It was believed and told that while Darwin was growing up he was always an avid reader of nature books and devoted his spare time to exploring the fields around his home, collecting plants and insects. In 1831, Charles Darwin embarked on a five year voyage aboard the ship named Beagle. The ship sailed to South America to carry out some surveying work. The role of Charles Darwin was to be a naturalist and companion to the ship’s captain, Robert Fitz Roy. It is in this journey that Darwin made some significant observations in his studies which ultimately led to a controversial issue of his time which surprisingly had tremendous scientific significance. (more…)

Zoology – The Study Of The Animal Life

admin — Wed, 23 May 2007 03:54:45 +0000

Zoology is the science concerning the study of animal life. It is actually a branch of biology that focuses on the study of animals. Within this branch, people may also specialize and study certain forms of animals. Zoology involves areas ranging from the structure of organisms to the subcellular unit of life. Some zoologists are interested in the biology of particular groups of animals. Others are concerned with the structure and function of animal bodies. Still others study how new animals are formed and how their characteristics are passed on from one generation to another.Some of the zoologists are interested in knowledge of animals for its own sake without the concern of the direct application of the information they have at hand about these animals. Some zoologists however, like in applied zoology, are interested in information about the animals that they have that will directly benefit humans, like medicine for example. Therefore, Zoology is both a descriptive and analytical science. It can be approached either as a basic science or as an applied science. (more…)

Biology – The Science Of Life

admin — Wed, 23 May 2007 03:51:39 +0000

Biology is the study of life. Some classically define biology as the science of life. Biology is concerned with such studies as classifying the various forms of organisms, how different and very diverse species come into existence, and the interactions they have with each other and with the natural environment. Biology includes a broad range of academic fields that are often viewed as independent disciplines. However, together they deal with phenomena related to living organisms, otherwise called the biological phenomena over a wide range of sciences, from the study of biophysics to the science and study of ecology. The field of biology as a unified science was first developed in the nineteenth century. This took place as scientists discovered that all living things shared certain fundamental characteristics and were best studied as a whole. Today biology is one of the most prominent scientific fields. Since it is such a vast field, biology is divided into a number of sub-disciplines. (more…)

Genes, Dna And Heredity

admin — Wed, 23 May 2007 03:49:36 +0000

Genes are chemical messengers containing the information for making all other chemicals needed for life, especially for making proteins, which are the building blocks of all cells. Genes are strung out on a large coiled molecule called the DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, just like beads on a thread. Messages are constantly being sent from the genes on the DNA to tell every microscopic cell on how to behave. It also tells just what kind of cell to make. It is very important, therefore, that the DNA molecule with its genes happens inside every microscopically minute cell. There are more than fifty trillion microscopic cells in the human body. Nearly all of these cells have their own genetic information. In every case, the genes are organized along a long coiled molecule called the DNA. The DNA hold the secret code for heredity. It is by such function that the DNA is often called the heredity molecule. (more…)